Back and internal organ supportive belt

• US 7,237,848 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas Story, Joseph J. Mcaulliffe
• Original Assignee: Douglas Story, Joseph J. Mcaulliffe
• Inventors: Story, Douglas, McAulliffe, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/934,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 297/464, 297/487, 297/485, 297/284.3, 297/284.5, 297/284.7, 297/284.9, 297/180.11, 297/217.4, 297/230.1, 297/230.11, 297/230.12, 297/230.13, 297/230.14
• US Class Current: 297/485
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/663 portable with attachment to the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/665 using inflatable bladders

Abstract

A back and internal organ supportive belt that can be installed in a chair or a seat, including the driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle or the operator'"'"'s seat of a piece of equipment, to provide support to internal organs, and to the musculoskeletal system of the driver or operator. The back and internal organ supportive belt includes an inelastic support structure with upper and lower sections; belts and straps for fastening the belt to a seat, and for strapping the driver/operator into the supportive belt; vertically extendable foam lordotic support pads; an inflatable bladder for applying vertical extension and lumbar vertebrae distraction; and a pad for providing heat and/or vibration for the driver'"'"'s or operator'"'"'s further comfort.

Claims

1. A back and internal organ supportive belt for attachment to a seat, comprising:

a) an inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable framework, having upper and lower sections;

b) means for firmly attaching said inelastic rigid extendable framework to a seat;

c) means for snugly strapping a driver/operator into the back and internal organ supportive belt, said strapping means providing increased interabdominal pressure on said driver/operator;

d) means for performing distraction to the lumbar vertebrae of said driver/operator comprising;

i) an inflatable bladder operatively attached to said upper and lower sections of said inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable, framework, inflation of said inflatable bladder causing separation of said upper and said lower sections of said frame; and

ii) a slidable operative attachment between said upper and lower sections and said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework, providing vertical extension of said upper and lower sections; and

e) means for providing lordotic support to the lumbar spine of said driver/operator.

2. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for firmly attaching said inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable framework to said seat further comprises:

f) at least one inelastic belt operatively attached to said inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable framework, and at least partially enclosing said seat.

3. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for snugly strapping said driver/operator into said back and internal organ supportive belt further comprises:

f) an adjustable belt having two portions, a left portion with respect to the driver/operator, and a right portion with respect to the driver/operator, with fastening means, operatively attached to said inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable framework, wherein said adjustable belt fastening means provides means for adjusting tension on said adjustable belt.

4. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 3, wherein said means for snugly strapping said driver/operator into said back and internal organ supportive belt further comprises:

g) a fastenable belt loop operatively attached to the left portion of and orthogonal to the length of said adjustable belt, sized to encompass the seat belt portion of a vehicle seat and shoulder belt, allowing said seat belt portion and said adjustable belt to be operatively connected and moved together, thereby facilitating entry to and egress from said back and internal organ supportive belt.

5. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for providing lordotic support to the lumbar spine of said driver/operator further comprises:

f) elastic foam material shaped to conform to the natural curve of the lumbar spine, operatively fastened to said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework.

6. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 5, wherein said elastic foam material further comprises:

g) means for providing adjustable heat and vibration at the interface between said driver/operator and said elastic foam material, said means comprising a pad with electrically powered vibration and heating means operatively connected to a controller powered by the electrical system of said vehicle.

7. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inflatable bladder further comprises a squeeze bulb and a check valve to apply pressurized air to inflate said inflatable bladder.

8. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inflatable bladder further comprises an electrically powered pump with an on/off switch, powered by the electrical system of said vehicle, to apply pressurized air to said inflatable bladder.

9. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inflatable bladder further comprises a valve for controlling inflation by selectively releasing air from said inflatable bladder.

10. A back and internal organ supportive belt for attachment to a seat, comprising:

a) an inelastic, rigid, extendable framework, having upper and lower sections;

b) at least one inelastic belt operatively attached to said inelastic, rigid, extendable framework, and at least partially enclosing and firmly attached to said seat;

c) an adjustable belt with fastening means, operatively attached to said inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable framework, wherein said adjustable belt fastening means provides means for adjusting tension on said adjustable belt, for snugly strapping a driver/operator into the back and internal organ supportive belt, providing increased interabdominal pressure on said driver/operator;

d) an inflatable bladder operatively attached to said upper and lower sections of said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework, inflation of said inflatable bladder causing separation of said upper and said lower sections of said frame;

e) a slidable operative attachment between said upper and lower sections and said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework, providing vertical extension of said upper and lower sections to perform distraction to the lumbar vertebrae of said driver/operator; and

f) elastic foam material shaped to conform to the natural curve of the lumbar spine, operatively fastened to said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework, said elastic foam material providing lordotic support to the lumbar spine of said driver/operator.

11. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 10, wherein said inflatable bladder further comprises a squeeze bulb and a check valve to apply pressurized air to inflate said inflatable bladder.

12. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 10, wherein said inflatable bladder further comprises an electrically powered pump with a on/off switch, powered by the electrical system of said vehicle, to apply pressurized air to said inflatable bladder.

13. The back and internal organ supportive belt in accordance with claim 10, wherein said inflatable bladder further comprises a valve for controlling inflation by selectively releasing air from said inflatable bladder.

14. A method of providing interabdominal compression, lumbar distraction, and lordotic support to the driver/operator of a vehicle, the steps comprising:

a) providing a back and internal organ supportive belt, comprising;

an inelastic, rigid, extendable, removable framework, having upper and lower sections;

means for firmly attaching said inelastic rigid extendable framework to a seat;

means for snugly strapping a driver/operator into the back and internal organ supportive belt, said strapping means providing increased interabdominal pressure on said driver/operator;

means for performing distraction to the lumbar vertebrae of said driver/operator comprising;

an inflatable bladder operatively attached to said upper and lower sections of said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework, inflation of said inflatable bladder causing separation of said upper and said lower sections of said frame; and

a slidable operative attachment between said upper and lower sections and said inelastic, rigid, removable, extendable framework, providing vertical extension of said upper and lower sections; and

means for providing lordotic support to the lumbar spine of said driver/operator;

b) attaching said back and internal organ supportive belt to a seat;

c) attaching said driver/operator to said back and internal organ supportive belt by means of a snug strapping attachment, said snug strapping attachment providing increased interabdominal pressure on said driver/operator;

d) distracting the lumbar vertebrae of said driver/operator; and

e) supporting the lumbar spine of lordotically said driver/operator.

15. The method of providing interabdominal compression, lumbar distraction, and lordotic support as recited in claim 14, the steps further comprising:

f) regulating the amount of extendable distraction to the lumbar vertebrae of said driver/operator by one of the following techniques;

manually and electrically.

16. The method of providing interabdominal compression, lumbar distraction, and lordotic support as recited in claim 14, the steps further comprising:

f) providing vibration and heating for further comfort of said driver/operator.